He claimed the popularity of Jasuben, a roadside pizza joint in Gujarat’s city of Ahmedabad, rivaled that of global fast-food chains like Pizza Hut.

“In Ahmedabad, Jasuben's pizzas are very famous. And even if there is Pizza Hut next to it, the educated youth will have Jasuben’s pizza and not pizza from Pizza Hut,” said Mr. Modi, speaking in New Delhi at an event organized by the women’s division of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Mr. Modi mentioned Jasuben as an example of a successful business started by women. It takes its name from Jasuben, a woman who moved from her native Pune to Ahmedabad after she got married. She opened her eponymous pizza take away in 1975.

But Jasuben’s Old Pizzas is hardly big business, and it’s no longer run by a woman.

“I don’t know if Narendra Modi has eaten our pizza. I don’t know why he took our name,” says Doravar Singh Rajput, Jasuben’s current owner, who was surprised by the mention.

He was happy that the chief minister of his state talked about his shop on television, but he was unsure whether this would affect him.

A former employee of Jasuben, Mr. Rajput took over the business after her death. Today, Jasuben’s has two branches, employs five people, and caters to around 100 customers a day, according to Mr. Rajput.

People generally get their pizza packed for takeaway, or eat standing near the stall.

Mr. Modi’s comments gave Jasuben its biggest marketing boost since it first opened 37 years ago. “It will be good for us,” said Mr. Rajput.

The pizzas served at Jasuben’s are an Italian-Gujarati hybrid. The standard pizzas, priced at 50 rupees ($1), are made on “bhakri” (Gujarati flat bread) and topped with spicy homemade gravy, chopped tomatoes, capsicum and onions. Customers can also ask for a “Jain” version, without onions.

It’s unclear if, as Mr. Modi claimed, Jasuben is popular with the city’s youth.

Mr. Rajput says Jasuben caters mainly to an older and loyal clientele, as younger people prefer modern fast-food chains like Dominos.

Local food reviewers give Jasuben a thumbs up. “Biscuit bhakri, soft with veggie toppings, cheese and in less time than Domino or Pizza Hut can roll out the dough,” said a review on Burpp.com. “A full value for money place and must visit, if you are in Ahmedabad,” the review added.

Another reviewer on Zomato.com said that the pizzas here are “to die for.”

Food was a recurrent theme in Mr. Modi’s speech Monday. He also mentioned Induben’s “khakhras” in Ahmedabad and Lijjat’s “papads” in Mumbai as examples of women entrepreneurship and how women-led companies can prosper.